Type O Negative, eh? Despite being important in the scene, the band have managed to pass me by. Or - to be precise - I have managed to pass them by... until the gig in Tallinn. You just don't pass gigs on your doorstep easily. Not if there is anything even remotely good involved - and Type O Negative should be good, right? However, all the time since the day the gig was announced I was getting the feeling that it all suffers from the lack of attention and promotion. I did not see Oohs and Ahhs and people melting with pleasure anywhere. Somehow it felt weird and did not sound promising at all.

I was sceptical. I was having doubts if I should go. Even listening through their discography and excellent album "Dead Again" was not improving my expectations about the gig. By the time of the concert I was sure of the band, but not the gig itself. I was even expecting Rock Cafe, which by the way is not a small venue, to be a desolate place with gusts of winds blowing like on the desert plains of Mexico.

Imagine my surprise when the venue got filled by the time the band got on stage and started to rock the socks off people without the warm-up. That's right - no warm-up. Weird. I can't remember such a thing in quite a while. I guess there was no need for the warm-up as the venue was hot as the sauna - just throw water at people, listen to the water go "pshshshshshsssssssssssst" and start whisking. And that was only the beginning! It seems that it presented no problems for the band to get the crowd going. People were jumping, throwing horns and being generally excited proper concert goers quite from the beginning.

When the band entered the stage, something else entered the stage as well. It was called the feeling. It came with the band unseen. But it came. It came and filled the house. It stayed there. The whole time. Experienced musicians as Type O Negative are, they brought with them something that makes a proper gig enjoyable - good music, great performance and stage presence, pleasant atmosphere and visually compelling show. All that to a critical mass of people.

It all pulled along. I was surprised to discover all of the members singing, some more, some less. Had I done my homework better I would have known that, but this way it turned out far better. The deep voice of Peter Steele is especially memorable. Same can be said about his bass which during "These Three Things" shook the very foundations of Rock Cafe. The band enjoyed themselves on stage. Peter Steele was rolling on the floor, Kenny Hickey was melting during his own guitar solos and Johnny Kelly seemed generally happy all the time. He was like an excited kid jumping out of his pants when he came out to film the crowd during the two encores. And Josh Silver, tattooed all over, with long hair and a twin beard is a sight on his own, not to mention when he is playing. Although here I must admit that keyboards were heard a bit too much - but that sounds more like a error of a sound engineer.

Since I am new to Type O Negative I cannot really comment why they played what they played, what they should have played and what they should have left unplayed. Going to a concert without prior (good) knowledge of the band's music gives you the advantage not to expect a song you think is a pearl. That way you get what you get and you evaluate if the given was worth the bother. It is said that prejudices suck. Same can be said about expectations. Both interfere and draw your attention away from what is the most important thing at the concert - the experience being delivered.

However, looking back at the set list I must admit that they could have played more from their last album which is an excellent piece after a relative low period. Though, it can be understood and argued about indefinitely why the band plays old songs, hence no more comments on that. The band delivered almost a 90 minute set with two encores. There are talks at the band's official forum about whether they did play all the songs on the list but I'll leave that to more knowledgeable people to figure out.

All in all I must admit that although I was confident of the band and contrary to that I was not expecting a good show, the evening turned out to be an excellent one. For me, all fit together. I enjoyed it from the start to the end. It was hot, awfully hot and I was wet like a water-rat - but it was good. The musical experience was what mattered. Those who did not come, missed a great gig. Hereby I must thank some of those who didn't go, because I might have missed the fun myself. That would have been for shame. It was a great evening to spend with Type O Negative.

Thanks to Gunnar Viese for offering the passes, I would have skipped it otherwise.

haha, it looks like we have little 'waves' of shows.. I had three in a bundle and now it's your turn for some shows
I'm going to have to look into these a bit more before Hellfest.. there is one song on that setlist I know. haha - these aren't really the sort of music I go for first though but I have always had a little bit of fondness for Type O Negative

Good job Ivan
damn I wish i coud see them here in Rīga live but since i spend whole money to Ozzy/BLS so i miss those guys damn but live is love
Its one of emeotionaly sedest rewiew what I had read because I can feel it too

@Baz: ToN were great. I'll try and see them again at Hellfest. At least there will be something to compare.
@Collin: I don't know how will they perform at the festival, but this single gig was excellent.

@crimsonoutlaw: Minolta Dynax 40 film camera with a Sigma 70-200mm APO lens. It was my first photoshoot with that lens.

It's a grand concert review....I would've liked to visit this gig...now I read it was an awesome concert indeed...however, I didn't have enough money....but I still hope to see this band live one day.....